


we can live beside the ocean (watch the world die)

by XenomorphLiebe



Series: 30 Day Imperials Challenge [2]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-26 19:50:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13864800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XenomorphLiebe/pseuds/XenomorphLiebe
Summary: Orson Krennic does not die as Narcissus did, gazing at his own reflection, but he hears an echo all the same.





	we can live beside the ocean (watch the world die)

Krennic had always been proud of his appearance; in many ways, his image was his greatest asset. Krennic may not have had Galen's technical genius, but he was both good-looking and confident enough to admit it, and people admire confident, good-looking individuals. Men like Krennic just seem honest and dependable, and Krennic had thought that he would need nothing more than that to succeed.

With my charisma and Galen's genius, we could have been unstoppable, he though with a wry, albeit weak, grin. He had felt unstoppable at Jedha City. When Krennic had first witnessed the destructive potential of the Death Star, he had thought, I am more powerful than even a god—I am Death incarnate. Now, here on Scarif, Orson Krennic knew that he was dying. If he didn’t succumb to the wounds inflicted by the rebels, then his own weapon—his greatest achievement—would also be his own death.

" _His_ greatest achievement," a voice whispered.

Krennic felt his heart twist in on itself. It couldn't be. Galen had died on Eadu.

"How?" Krennic rasped, "Galen, you're dead."

"Dead," Galen's voice agreed.

The ridiculousness of the situation donned on the dying man. Vader had been right—Krennic had choked on his aspirations. Now, he was talking to a ghost, his former friend and the father of Krennic's own downfall.

"You know," he accused the unseen ghost, "I am going to die because of your daughter."

For a moment, the lingering silence caused Krennic to feel like a fool, but he was too tired to care. After all, it was his pride that had taken him to Scarif.

Finally, Galen responded, "Daughter?"

Krennic wondered if he was hallucinating the faint trace of mocking sarcasm in Galen's voice. Galen had never been so unhappy with him in life, surely?

The thought shouldn't have bothered Krennic, but it clawed at him nonetheless. The mere notion that Krennic's return upset Galen, that Krennic had wronged him in some way, burrowed under his skin and tunneled through his gut into his arteries and then tore its way through Krennic's heart.

Krennic gasped. The pain—the thought—was unbearable.

He was willing to admit that, on occasion, he could be petty, vain, even arrogant, but no more than any other man was. Krennic wasn't some monstrosity like Vader, and he certainly wasn't a callous, scheming rat like Tarkin! No, Krennic was not a bad man; he was just ambitious.

However, his rationalisations did nothing to hamper the thought, which continued to tear away at him. He had to know. Before he died, he had to be certain that Galen Erso still cared for him.

"Galen," Krennic whimpered, "You love me, don't you?"

The act of speech emboldened Krennic, and he repeated, "You love me."

"Love me?" Galen parroted back, his tone oozing scorn.

"How dare you?" Krennic hissed, "Of course, of course, I loved you!"

Tears gathered in his eyes as he moaned, "I'll always love you..."

"Love you," Galen murmured, his voice soft yet sad.

Krennic wanted to laugh. Galen had never loved him, only that woman of his, Lyra. He sighed and looked ahead. A white void, terrible in its totality, was rapidly approaching. Krennic knew that he would not burn, but would rather suffocate under a blanket of dense white nothingness. In the distance, Krennic thought that he could hear wolves howl. Krennic shivered despite the warm ocean breeze. At last, the sun would be consumed and Krennic's world would be plunged into eternal darkness.

Krennic cursed. He must be dreaming—delirious—something!

The blankness would eclipse him, and then he would awake by Galen's side on Brentaal. He would luxuriate in the warmth of their shared bed, which would be blistering hot compared to the pale, frigid sunlight of Scarif. Galen would mumble as he dreamt of his latest work of genius, and Krennic would watch him with a fond smile, but would not disturb the other man, too afraid of what may happen if he dared.

Krennic opened his eyes. The storm was almost upon him.

"Oh, marvellous boy, I loved you in vain, farewell," he whispered.

The desolate void consumed him before he could hear Galen's voice chorus, "Farewell."

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from Everclear's song "Santa Monica," which is worth a listen, if you feel like crying.
> 
> Krennic's thought of being Death incarnate are an oblique reference to Oppenheimer's quote: "We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says, 'Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that one way or another."
> 
> Krennic's rambling about sun-consuming wolves are a reference to the wolves Sköll and Hati from Norse mythology, who will consume the sun and moon during Ragnarök, thus plunging the world into total darkness.
> 
> Finally, the entire story is a reference to the Greek myth of Narcissus and Echo. Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection after catching a glimpse of it in a pool. The nymph Echo, who cannot speak for herself but instead only repeat what others say and who Narcissus had once rejected, watched over him as he wasted away. His last words are "Oh, marvellous boy, I loved you in vain, farewell," which Echo choruses, "Farewell." She, too, then wastes away, leaving behind only the sound of her voice.
> 
> Of course, the $1 million question is: Is Krennic Narcissus, or Echo? ;)


End file.
